CHAPTER PAGE

XV.  RICHMOND DURING THE SIEGE 159

XVI.  THE LAND BLOCKADE 175

XVII.  I ENTER THE TURKISH NAVY 186

XVIII.  THE WAR WITH RUSSIA 201

XIX.  THE TURKISH FLEET DURING THE WAR 217

XX.  SPORT IN TURKEY 235

XXI.  SPORT AND SOCIETY 253

EXTRACT FROM THE ‘DAILY TELEGRAPH’ 277

Sketches from my life.

CHAPTER I.

A rough start in life.

To attempt to write and publish sketches of my somewhat eventful career is an act that, I fear, entails the risk of making enemies of some with whom I have come in contact.  But I have arrived at that time of life when, while respecting, as I do, public opinion, I have hardened somewhat into indifference of censure.  I will, however, endeavour to write as far as lies in my power (while recording facts) ’in charity with all men.’  This can be done in most part by omitting the names of ships in which and officers under whom I have served.

I was born, as the novelists say, of respectable parents, at Walton-on-the-Wold, in Leicestershire, on April 1, 1822.  I will pass over my early youth, which was, as might be expected, from the time of my birth until I was ten years of age, without any event that could prove interesting to those who are kind enough to peruse these pages.

At the age of ten I was sent to a well-known school at Cheam, in Surrey, the master of which, Dr. Mayo, has turned out some very distinguished pupils, of whom I was not fated to be one; for, after a year or so of futile attempt on my part to learn something, and give promise that I might aspire to the woolsack or the premiership, I was pronounced hopeless; and having declared myself anxious to emulate the deeds of Nelson, and other celebrated sailors, it was decided that I should enter the navy, and steps were taken to send me at once to sea.

A young cousin of mine who had been advanced to the rank of captain, more through the influence of his high connections than from any merit of his own, condescended to give me a nomination in a ship which he had just commissioned, and thus I was launched like a young bear, ’having all his sorrows to come,’ into Her Majesty’s navy as a naval cadet.  I shall never forget the pride with which I donned my first uniform, little thinking what I should have to go through.  My only consolation while recounting facts that will make many parents shudder at the thought of what their children (for they are little more when they join the service) were liable to suffer, is, that things are now totally altered, and that under the present regime every officer, whatever his rank, is treated like a gentleman, or he, or his friends, can know ’the reason why.’